Chapter Text
The full moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the village of Konoha with a silvery glow. The streets were deserted except for a little girl with pink hair walking hesitantly. Sakura Haruno, only seven years old, had run away from the orphanage that night, driven by an uncontrollable need for freedom, even if just for a few hours. Her bare feet made almost no sound on the cold ground, and her green eyes were heavy with sleep and hunger. Dinner had been denied to her due to bad behavior, but she was only defending herself against the older children.
It was so unfair.
As she crossed a narrow alley, a chill ran down her spine, making her shiver. The silence of the night was interrupted by a nearly imperceptible murmur, like the whisper of the wind through the leaves. Sakura stopped, looking around nervously. She almost regretted having run away.
Her eyes landed on a dark figure standing out against the moonlight. A young man, with a solemn appearance and intense red eyes, stood a few meters from her.
Itachi Uchiha watched her with an unreadable expression, his eyes sharing a truth she could not comprehend.
He had just committed the most terrible act of his life, and his heart was heavy with guilt and sorrow. For a moment, his instinct was to eliminate any and all witnesses, but if his brother was spared, why not spare a mere civilian child? And now, in front of that fragile little girl, he felt a spark of compassion, an opportunity to perhaps, in some way, make amends for the wrong he had done.
Sakura took a step back, her eyes wide with fear and exhaustion. Her stomach growled loudly, painfully reminding her that she hadn’t had dinner. Her vision began to blur, and before she could react, her legs gave way. She fell to the ground, feeling the cold hardness of the stones against her skin. In her normal state, she would have chastised herself for showing weakness in front of a stranger. Everything around her started to fade, and the last thing she saw were those red eyes shining in the darkness.
When she woke up, the first thing she noticed was a burning sensation in her eyes, as if something was on fire inside them. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, but the pain only increased. She tried to get up, but her body was still weak. Beside her, a dark figure approached. The same young man watched her with a serious expression, his own red eyes now replaced by the green ones that once belonged to her.
"Who... who are you?" Sakura murmured, her voice weak.
Itachi knelt beside her, the shadow of a sad smile on his lips.
"Sorry for this, little girl. But you have a new strength now, something I needed to give you." He stood up, starting to walk away. "Use it wisely."
Sakura tried to understand what he meant, but the pain in her eyes and the confusion in her mind were too much. She blinked again, trying to focus on the figure disappearing into the darkness. The world around her seemed different, sharper, more alive despite the pain.
The fire consumed the Uchiha complex, sending high flames and thick smoke into the night sky. The smell of ashes and destruction permeated the air, creating a scene of chaos and despair. Nearby, Sakura was curled up, hugging her knees, sobbing quietly. Tears ran down her dirty face, mingling with sweat and dust.
The orphanage’s headmaster, a middle-aged man with a stern but concerned expression, found her there, drawn by the glow of the flames and the muffled sound of her sobs. He approached slowly, the sight of the girl breaking his heart. Her pink hair, usually bright and well-kept, was now tangled and dirty, falling disorderly over her shoulders. Her face, streaked with tears and dust, showed signs of exhaustion and fear.
She wore a simple cotton pajama, faded from use and a bit too big for her small frame. The long-sleeved shirt, with a light pastel tone, was stained and torn in some places, reflecting her escape and moments of desperation. The pants, equally worn, were dirty with soil and dust, with scratched and slightly grazed knees. Her feet were bare, and the delicate skin showed small cuts and scratches, evidence of her walk through the streets and alleys of the village.
"Sakura?" he called softly, kneeling beside her. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Sakura raised her head slowly, her red eyes glowing intensely in the darkness. The headmaster recoiled instinctively, shock evident on his face. What he saw in the girl’s eyes was not normal; they were the eyes of an Uchiha, the Sharingan, with a single tomoe slowly spinning in the center of each iris.
"My eyes... hurt..." she whispered, still confused and scared.
The headmaster blinked several times, trying to process what he was seeing. He knew the stories, knew the power and danger associated with the Sharingan, but he never imagined seeing those eyes in a civilian girl, an orphan with no connection to the Uchiha clan.
"How... how is this possible?" he murmured, more to himself than to her. Then, with renewed determination, he picked Sakura up in his arms, lifting her carefully. "Come on, Sakura. We need to get out of here. I’ll take care of you."
As he carried her away from the flames and the horror of that night, Sakura nestled against him, still trembling. She didn’t know what the future held, but one thing was certain: her life would never be the same.
✧
Two years had passed since that fateful night. Sakura, now nine years old, had learned to cope with the constant burning sensation in her eyes. She had noticed drastic changes in her vision and abilities, though she didn’t fully understand what they meant. Since Sakura’s eyes had changed, life in the village had become a constant challenge. People looked at her with distrust and fear, whispering among themselves when she passed by.
“The girl who carries the eyes of a killer,” they said.
The children avoided playing with her, and the adults isolated her, fearing the power she possessed and the implicit connection with the Uchiha killer. And this was worsened by the girls who were fans of Sasuke, the last remaining member of his clan who wasn’t a victim of his brother. In particular, he would cast strange looks, but never dignified himself to speak to her, and Sakura wasn’t interested in trying to contact him. Just because they had the same eyes didn’t mean they would become best friends.
At the ninja academy, Sakura sat alone. She tried to sit next to a quiet little boy, but he moved away as if she were a plague to be avoided. The girls were hostile to her for ridiculous reasons, and the others feared her. The only available seat was with the class clown: Uzumaki Naruto. She never understood the isolation he also suffered, but she could understand why most students didn’t like him. Naruto was loud, not very smart, and uncommitted to his grades at the academy. However, Sakura decided to give the boy a chance, and she swore she saw his blue eyes shine with contained happiness for someone approaching him without being forced.
An unexpected friendship grew between them.
“When I become Hokage, everyone will respect me and respect you too, Sakura-san,” he assured with a confidence Sakura didn’t know where he got from.
“How can you be so sure of that, Naruto?”
“I just know. Dattebayo!”
They arrived at the academy, the parents and children avoiding them like the plague. By now, neither of them paid much attention, accustomed to adults avoiding them. In contrast, Iruka welcomed them warmly as always. The man was a small relief amidst so many unfriendly faces.
“Look, it’s the girl with the killer’s eyes,” one of the children whispered, pointing at Sakura as she walked through the academy courtyard.
“Don’t get near her. What if she does the same as Itachi?” another child responded, pulling friends away from her.
Sakura ignored them, even as hurt and resentment filled her heart.
In the Hokage’s tower, the Third Hokage sat at his desk, reviewing the daily reports. His face, marked by years of leadership and battle, showed an expression of concern. He knew that the recent events involving Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto needed special attention. The combination of Itachi Uchiha’s Sharingan in the eyes of a civilian girl and her closeness to the Kyuubi’s jinchuriki could not be ignored. With a heavy sigh, he called for one of the ANBU on duty. In moments, a masked ninja appeared in the room, kneeling before the Hokage.
“Hokage-sama, how can I serve you?” the ANBU asked, his voice firm and respectful.
“I need complete reports on the girl named Sakura Haruno, the one who possesses Itachi Uchiha’s eyes,” Hiruzen said, the gravity of his voice making the importance of the matter clear. “And I also need information about her closeness with Naruto Uzumaki.”
The ANBU nodded, swiftly disappearing to fulfill the order. Hiruzen turned his attention back to the window, gazing down at the village of Konoha. He knew the sacrifices he had to make throughout his life, but he hadn’t expected that two distinct paths of his secret efforts would intersect in this way. Hiruzen began reading the documents, absorbing every detail. The reports painted a clear picture of Sakura: an intelligent, determined, and isolated girl. She had been ostracized since Itachi Uchiha’s eyes had become hers. Despite this, she showed remarkable resilience, never getting into fights and scoring well in her studies.
"The girl who carries the eyes of a killer..." Hiruzen murmured to himself, reading one of the observations. "That's how the village sees her."
The next set of reports detailed the relationship between Sakura and Naruto. The ANBU had observed how the two had become close friends, defending each other against the hostility of others. Their friendship seemed to be a source of strength for both, but it also raised questions about the potential implications of this alliance.
Hiruzen pondered for a moment before calling another ANBU. A ninja with a wolf mask appeared, kneeling.
"Hokage-sama." the ANBU greeted.
"I want you and your team to keep a constant watch on Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki." Hiruzen ordered. "Not just for security, but also to better understand the nature of their relationship and how it may affect the village."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." the wolf-masked ANBU replied.
"Additionally, investigate any activity that may indicate external interest in them." Hiruzen added. "We can't risk other villages or organizations discovering what's going on here."
The ANBU nodded, disappearing in the blink of an eye to relay the orders to his team. Hiruzen returned to look out the window, his face assuming a pensive expression.
He knew that Sakura and Naruto were on a difficult path. Sakura, with the eyes of one of Konoha's most notorious assassins, and Naruto, carrying the Kyuubi within him, were destined to face unique challenges. However, Hiruzen also saw immense potential in them. With the right guidance, they could become great ninjas and perhaps even change the village's perception of them.
